I have been working with Veterans for nearly twenty-years now and have drawn the following conclusion in regards to adjustment problems Veterans face after recently being discharged from the military.
Being depressed because things aren’t working out the way we planned is in my opinion, a normal response. In fact, if the transition isn’t working as planned, consider seeing a doctor if that is perceived as acceptable. When we lose our motivation for external reasons and can’t seem to get that back, it’s time to seek help. That’s not always mental health help rather, assistance with those pain in the butt problems the will not go away. We all become distraught in stressful situations and how we resolve issues during those times of difficulty is telling of our coping skills. Remember, during out time in the military, most everything we do is done as a team and having someone there to rely on is expected.
I encourage any Vet having problems with putting that productive life together after discharge, to seek out other Vets that have been there and done that; someone you can get along with – someone you can rely on for nonjudgemental support to help you steer along the way.
